Counter wheel assembly



DGC- 14, 1965 L, E. COULTER ETAL 3,223,316

COUNTER WHEEL ASSEMBLY Filed May 5, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet l Ill!"INVENTORS LELAND E COULTER EDWARD C. AMBLER BRADLEY L. BATSON NORMAN R.BEHVI JOHN J. ANTHONY RICHARD B. HAMLIN SYM?,

ATTORNEYS De. 14, 1965 l.. E. COULTER ETAL 3,223,316

COUNTER WHEEL ASSEMBLY Filed May 5, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORSLELAND E. COULTER EDWARD CAMBLER BRADLEY L. BATSON NORMAN R BE HM JOHNJ. ANTHONY RICHARD B. HAMLIN ATTOR NEYS Dec 14, 196s L. E. COULTER ETAL3,223,316 COUNTER WHEEL ASSEMBLY Filed May 5, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheei 3 RS IELAND E COULTER EDWARD C. AMBLER I EY M RICH B. HAMLI N ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent O 3,223,316 COUNTER WHEEL ASSEMBLY Leland E. Coulter, WestHartford, Edward C. Ambler, Newington, Bradley L. Batson, Hebron, NormanR. Behm, South Glastonbury, and `lohn J. Anthony, Hartford, Conn., andRichard B. Hamlin, Altoona, Pa., assignors to Veeder-Root Incorporated,Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed May 5, 1964, Ser.No. 365,087 6 Claims. (Cl. 23S-1) The present invention relatesgenerally to counter wheels -and more particularly to a counter wheelassembly of the type illustrated in United States Patent No. 2,932,448granted to Harvey N. Bliss April 12, 1960 on an invention entitledResetting Mechanism for Counters and comprising an indicia wheel andindependently rotatable drive and reset gears which may be selectivelyengaged for common rotation with the indicia wheel by axially shiftingthe indicia wheel supporting shaft.

The principal aim of the present invention is to provide an improvedcounter wheel assembly of the type described having an economicalassembly of parts which may be individually manufactured by lmassproduction methods and readily combined into a compact and highlyreliable and sturdy assembly.

Another aim of the present invention is to provide an improved counterwheel assembly having a minimum number of parts of light-weightconstruction.

A further vaim of the present invention is to provide an improvedcounter wheel assembly having drive and reset ears which are freelyrotatable independently of the indicia wheel in accurate coaxialrelationship therewith, and which may be smoothly engaged for commonrotation with the indicia wheel.

Another aim of the present invention is to provide an improved counterwheel assembly of the type described having a simple and economicalarrangement for engaging the reset gear which provides for accurate andsmooth resetting of the indicia wheel and for timely engagement anddisengagement of the reset gear and locking of the indicia wheel as itis rotated to its reset or zero position.

Other objects Iwill be in part obvious and in part pointed out more indetail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereafter set forth, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view, partly broken away, of one end of an embodiment of acounter wheel assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an axial section view of the counter wheel assembly takensubstantially along line 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view, partly broken away and partly in section, of the otherend of the counter wheel assembly;

FIG. 4 is an axial section view of a hub of the counter wheel assemblytaken substantially along line 4 4 of FIG. 3, showing the hub in itsmanufactured form prior to assembly;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary transverse section View showing a counter Wheelsupporting shaft in cooperative engagement with a reset gear operatingpawl of the counter wheel assembly;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary transverse section view similar to FIG. 5showing a prior art reset gear operating pawl; and

FIG. 7 is a section view, partly broken away, of a modified reset gearoperating pawl of the counter wheel assembly.

3,223,316 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 The counter wheel assembly of thepresent invention is shown comprising a wheel hub 12 which is cast,preferably of Zinc, to provide a number of integrally formed partsincluding a central generally cylindrical boss or tubular portion 14having an opening 16 for receiving a counter wheel reset shaft and anintegral radial flange 18 having an inner portion 20 spaced axiallyinwardly from but adjacent to what will be termed for convenience as thehigher order end 22 of the central tubular portion 14. The flange 18 hasan outer portion 24 which is offset yaxially outwardly from the innerflange portion 20 and which thereby forms with the inner flange portion20 and the tubular portion 14 a generally annular recess 26 and whichadditionally forms with the inner flange portion 20 on the opposite faceof the flange an axially tapered generally frustoconical edge 28. Theange 18 is provided with a peripheral partially cylindrical shoulder 32for engagement by the usual mutilated transfer pinion (not shown) forholding the transfer pinion against rotation and is additionallyprovided with a pair of teeth 34, 36 that are adapted to engage themutilated transfer pinion for providing the transfer action to the nexthigher order wheel (not shown), it being understood that the counterWheel assembly of the present invention has particular utility incounters of the type having a plurality of coaxial counter wheelassemblies arranged in ascending order.

An indicia bearing rim 40 of the counter wheel assembly, preferablyconstructed of sheet metal aluminum, includes a generally cylindricalportion 42 that is suitably embellished with appropriate indicia,conventionally the numerals 0 through 9, and an inwardly extendingradial flange portion 44 that is affixed to the flange 13 by a pluralityof angularly spaced rivets 46 formed integrally with the hub flange forreceipt within corresponding openings in the radial li-ange portion 44and upset to rigidly secure the rim to the hub.

The central tubular portion 14 of the hub is provided with reduced ends50, 52 for receiving and for axially locating a pair of sleeves orwashers 54, 56, respectively. The sleeves 54, 56 are retained againstshoulders 58, 60 formed by the reduced ends by anging the edges of thetubular portion outwardly as by spinning, for which purpose the sleeves54, 56 are outwardly tapered at 62, 64, respectively.

A molded plastic reset gear 70 is rotatably mounted at the higher orderend of the counter wheel assembly on the sleeve 54 by an integrallyformed axially offset radial flange 72 received in part within theannular recess 26 and retained against -axial outward movement by aradial annular shoulder or flange 74 on the sleeve 54. The reset gear 70further includes an integrally formed outwardly extending radi-a1 flange76 with an inner annular face 78 that cooperates with a plurality ofangularly spaced studs or bosses formed on the flange 18 for supportingthe reset gear 70 against inward axial movement.

A drive gear of molded plastic construction is rotatably mounted on thetubular portion 14 at the opposite or lower order end thereof .and isprovided with an inwardly facing annular bearing surface 92 havingengagement with the coplanar end faces of the bosses or posts 94, 95,96, 97 formed integrally with and axially extending from the flange 18:and which thereby provide for supporting the gear against inward axialmovement. A radial annular shoulder or flange 99 on the sleeve 56provides a bearing for supporting the drive gear against outward axialmovement. The sleeves 54, 56, which are preferably constructed of a goodbearing material, therefore provide for restraining the gears againstoutward axial movement, and additionally are preferably positioned toprovide end bearings for engagement with adjacent wheel assemblies.

The central tubular portion 14 of the hub 12 is provided with a pair ofdiametrically opposed slots 100, 102 extending from the higher order end22 of the tubular portion to adjacent the drive gear 90. A pair ofdiametrically opposed radially extending reset and drive gear pawls 104,105, preferably of sintered metal construction, are slideably mounted inthe opposed slots 100, 102 for operation by the wheel reset shaft andare pivotally mounted on the yhub about parallel transversely extendingaxes by pivot pins 106, 108, respectively, for which purpose the hub iscast to provide a pair of transersely spaced pockets for each of thepivot pins 106,

As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pivot pin pockets are defined byshortened end walls 110, by inner side walls 112 that are coplanar withaxially extending diametrically opposed flats 114, 116 formed on thetubular portion 14, and by tangs 120 which are cast to extend generallyparallel to the side walls 112. The pawls and pivot pins are thereforereadily installed by positioning the pivot pins within the pockets andin engagement with the flats 114, 116 and by upsetting the tangs ontothe pivot pins.

The posts 95, 96 are circumferentially spaced to define a radial slotfor receiving the reset gear pawl 104 and are suitably contoured todefine with a cylindrical recess 121 in the flange 18 a chamber formounting a compression spring 130 that is operative to engage the resetgear pawl 104 to pivotally urge the pawl in the clockwise direction, asseen in FIG. 2.. A pair of partially circular webs 132, 134 are castradially inwardly of the posts 95, 96, respectively, and with an axiallyextending opening 136 in the flange 13 provide a generally cylindricalrecess for a sheet metal locking plunger 133. As best seen in FIG. 2,the plunger 138 is provided with a radial flange at its inner end whichis received within a generally T-shaped slot 140 in the reset gear pawl104. Accordingly, with the pawl 104 in its normal position, shown inFIG. 2, maintained by the compression spring 130, the plunger 138 isretracted and upon pivotal actuation of the reset gear pawl 104, in thecounterclockwise direction as seen in FIG. 2, the plunger 138 is urgedaxially under the force of a compression spring 142 into engagement withthe reset gear 70. For receiving the plunger 138 the reset gear isprovided with a plurality of angularly spaced cylindrical recesses 146that are adapted to receive the tapered end of the plunger 138 forsecurely connecting the reset gear with the indicia wheel. V l

A pair of partially cylindrical Webs 150, 152 are contoured to providein conjunction with a generally cylindrical recess 154 in the flange 18an axially extending chamber for a compression coil spring 156 adaptedto urge the drive gear pawl 105, in the counterclockwise direction asseen in FIG. 2, into engagement with the ldrive gear 90. For securelyconnecting the indicia wheel for common rotation with the drive gear,the pawl 105 ,is provided with an outer tapered nose 158 that is adaptedfor receipt within radially extending slots 160 angularly spaced aboutthe inner face of the drive gear 90.

In a well-known manner, the supporting shaft for the counter wheelassembly functions as a reset shaft for disengaging the drive gear andfor engaging the reset gear for resetting. This is accomplished byaxially shifting the reset shaft for pivotally displacing the reset anddrive gear pawls outwardly from the reset shaft. As seen in FIG. thereset shaft 170 is conventionally provided with an axially extendingslot 172 for receiving the reset gear pawl 104 when the indicia wheel islocated in its fully reset or zero position, whereupon the reset gear isdisengaged and the indicia wheel is locked to the reset shaft. If theindicia wheel is located in its zero position when the reset shaft isaxially shifted, the slot 1'72 receives the pawl 104 and the reset gearis never engaged. However, if the indicia wheel is angularly offset fromits zero position by a few degrees when the reset shaft is axiallyshifted, it has been found that the reset gear pawl may become lodgedwithin the slot 172, for example, as emphasized in FIG. 6. This mayresult in simultaneous locking of the indicia wheel to the reset shaftand engagement of the reset gear. For this reason counter wheelassemblies in the past have incorporated a friction clutch in the resetgear drive as shown in the above referenced Patent No. 2,932,448. Withthe counter wheel assembly of the present invention, howevers the resetgear pawl 104 is contoured to provide a tapered edge 176 on the innerprojection 178 of the pawl to prevent simultaneous engagement of thereset gear and locking of the indicia wheel. The tapered edge 176provides a circumferentially facing camming edge adapted for engagementwith the edge 180 of the reset shaft (FIG. 5) to either move the pawl104 out of the slot 172 when the indicia wheel and therefore the pawl104 is being rotated by the reset gear, in the clockwise direction asseen in FIG. 5, or to move the indicia wheel in the countercloclcwisedirection, under the force of the compression springs 130, 142 to itszero position whereupon the inner projection of the pawl 104 is fullyreceived within the slot 172.

Where resetting of the indicia wheel is accomplished in the oppositeangular direction, the reset gear pawl 104 would be formed with a camcircumferentially facing in the opposite angular direction.Alternatively as seen in FIG. 7, a pawl 182 having a V-shaped projection184 with tapered edges facing in both circumferential directions couldbe employed as a universal pawl for use with resetting in eitherrotational direction.

Thus it can be seen that the parts of the counter wheel assembly of thepresent invention are capable of being manufactured by economical massproduction methods and can be readily assembled into accurateassociation to provide a compact and highly reliable assembly.Additionally, the counter wheel assembly provides an economicalarrangement for engaging and disengaging the reset gear which precludesthe necessity of having, for example, a friction clutch in the resetgear drive and which nevertheless provides smooth resetting andyprevents simultaneous locking of the indicia wheel and engagement of thereset gear. Further, the counter wheel assembly of the present inventionis of lightweight construction with a minimum number of parts arrangedfor reliable operation over a long service life.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modificationsand adaptations of the structure above described will become readilyapparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention,the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A counter wheel assembly comprising a cast hub having a centralaxially extending tubular portion adapted for receiving a counter resetshaft and a radial flange portion spaced axially inwardly of butadjacent to one axial end of the tubular portion, a sheet metal rimsecured to the flange portion having a generally cylindrical indiciabearing surface, the tubular portion of the hub having reduced axialends, a pair of sleeves mounted on the reduced axial ends of the tubularportion, said sleeves being retained on the hub by outwardly flangededges lof the tubular portion, a reset gear rotatably mounted at saidone axial end of the tubular portion, a drive gear rotatably mounted atthe other axial end of the tubular portion, said flange portion having aplurality of angularly spaced axially projecting bosses and said gearshaving axially facing annular bearing surfaces engageable by the bossesfor supporting the gears against inward axial movement, said sleeveshaving radial shoulders for supporting the gears against outward axialmovement, and means mounted on the hub operable by the reset shaft forselectively locking the hub with the drive and reset gears.

2. A counter wheel assembly comprising a cast hub having a centralaxially extending tubular portion adapted for receiving a counter resetlshaft and a radial flange with an inner annular portion axially spacedinwardly 'of but adjacent to one axial end of the tubular portion and anouter annular portion offset laxially outwardly thereof to define anannulus with said one axial end of the tubular portion, a sheet metalring having a generally cylindrical indicia bearing portion and aninward radial flange portion secured to the outer annular portion of theflange, a reset gear rotatably mounted at said one axial end of thetubular portion and in part within said annulus, a drive gear rotatablymounted at the other axial end of the tubular portion, a pair of sleevesmounted on the axial ends of the tubular portion retaining the gearsagainst outward axial movement, said flange having a plurality ofangularly spaced axially projecting bosses and said gears having axiallyfacing annular bearing surfaces engageable by the bosses for supportingthe gears against inward axial movement, and means mounted on the huboperable by the reset shaft for selectively locking the hub with thereset and drive gears.

3. A counter wheel assembly comprising a cast hub having a generallycylindrical axially extending tubular portion adapted for receiving acounter reset shaft and a radial flange portion spaced axially inwardlyof but adjacent to one axial end of the tubular portion, a sheet metalindicia bearing rim secured to the radial flange portion, a first sleevemounted on said one axial end of the tubular portion, a second sleevemounted on the other axial end of the tubular portion, said sleevesbeing retained on the hub by outwardly flanged edges of the tubularportion, a pair of molded plastic gears rotatably mounted at theopposite ends of the tubular portion, said flange having a plurality ofangularly spaced axially projecting bosses and said gears having axiallyfacing annular bearing surfaces engageable by the bosses for supportingthe gears against inward axial movement, said sleeves having radialshoulders for supporting the gears against outward axial movement, saidtubular portion having a pair of opposed slots, a pair of pawlsslideably received in the slots for actuation by the reset shaft forselective engagement of the reset and drive gears respectively, and apair of pins pivotally mounting the pawls about transverse axes, saidtubular portion having a pair of axially extending opposed flatsengageable by the pins for rigid support thereof, and said hub havingintegral tangs for retaining the pins against the flats.

4. A counter wheel assembly comprising a cast hub having a centralaxially extending tubular portion adapted for receiving a counter resetshaft and a radial flange portion spaced axially inwardly of butIadjacent to one axial end of the tubular portion, a sheet metal indiciabearing rim secured to the radial flange portion, the tubular portion ofthe hub having reduced ends, a pair of sleeves mounted on the reducedend-s of the tubular portion, said sleeves being retained on the tubularportion by outwardly flanged edges thereof, a reset gear rotatablymounted at said one axial end of the tubular portion, a drive gearrotatably mounted at the other axial end of the tubular portion, saidflange having a plurality of angularly spaced axially projecting bossesand said gears having axially facing annular bearing surfaces engageableby the bosses for supporting the gears against inward axial movement,said sleeves having radial shoulders for supporting the gears againstoutward axial movement, said tubular portion having a pair ofdiametrically opposed slots axially extending from said one axial endthereof to adjacent the drive gear, a pair of diametrically opposedpawls slideably received in the slots for actuation by the reset shaft,a pair of pins pivotally mounting the pawls about parallel transverseaxes, said hub defining sockets for receiving the ends of the pivot pinsand having integral tangs for retaining the pins within the sockets,said hub defining a pair of diametrically opposed axially extendingchambers and radial slots inwardly thereof receiving the pawls,compression springs within the chambers engageable with the pawls forpivotal actuation thereof, and a plunger axially reciprocable on theflange operable by one of the locking pawls for engagement with thereset gear, the other of the locking pawls being adapted for engagementwith the drive gear, said one locking pawl having an inner projectionadapted for receipt within an axial slot in the reset shaft and taperedin a circumferential direction to provid-e a camming edge engageablewith the reset shaft.

5. For use with an axially shiftable counter reset shaft, a counterwheel assembly comprising an indicia wheel having a cast hub with agenerally cylindrical axially extending tubular portion adapted forreceiving the counter reset shaft and a radial flange portion spacedaxially inwardly of but adjacent to one axial end of the tubularportion, and an indicia bearing rim fixed to the flange portion, thetubular portion having reduced ends providing shoulders at the inneredges thereof, a pair of sleeves mounted on the reduced ends of thetubular portion in engagement with the shoulders, said sleeves beingretained on the tubular portion by outwardly flanged edges thereof,molded plastic reset and drive gears rotatably mounted at the ends ofthe tubular portion respectively, said flange portion having a pluralityof angularly spaced axially projecting bosses and said gears havingaxially facing annular bearing surfaces engageable by the bosses forsupporting the gears against inward axial movement, said sleeves havingradial shoulders for supporting the gears against outward axialmovement, said tubular portion having a pair of diametrically opposedslots, a pair of pivotally mounted pawls slidably received in the slots,said pawls having inwardly extending projections engageable by the resetshaft for selective engagement of the reset and drive gearsrespectively, the reset shaft having an axial slot for receiving andlocking the reset gear pawl when the indicia wheel has been fully reset,compression springs pivotally urging the pawls into engagement with thereset shaft, and a plunger axially reciprocable on the hub for operationby the reset gear pawl for locking the reset gear, s-aid reset gear pawlhaving its inwardly extending projection tapered to provide acircumferentially facing camming edge engageable with the reset shaft toprevent simultaneous locking of the indicia wheel and engagement of thereset gear.

6. A counter wheel and counter shaft assembly comprising a countershaft, and a counter wheel having a cast hub with a central axiallyextending tubular portion receiving the counter shaft and rotatablysupporting the counter wheel thereon and a radial flange portion spacedaxially inwardly of but adjacent to an axial end of the tubular portion,a rim on the flange portion having a generally cylindrical indiciabearing surface, the tubular portion of the hub having reduced axialends, a pair of sleeves mounted on and affixed to the reduced axial endsof the tubular portion, an integrally formed reset gear rotatablymounted at one axial end of the tubular portion, a drive gear rotatablymounted at the other axial end of the tubular portion, said flangeportion having a plurality of angularly spaced axially projecting bossesand said gears having axially facing annular bearing surfaces engageableby the bosses for supporting the gears against inward axial movement,said sleeves having radial shoulders for supporting the gears againstoutward axial movement, said tubular portion having a pair of angularlyspaced axially extending slots, a pair of pawls slideably received inthe slots having inwardly extending projections engageable by thecounter shaft for selective engagement of the reset and drive gearsrespectively, means pivotally mounting the pawls on the hub for pivotalmovement about transverse axes, compression springs pivotally urging thepawls into engagement with the counter shaft, the counter shaft havingan axially extending slot for receiving the reset gear pawl when thecounter wheel has been fully reset with the reset gear for therebylocking the counter wheel to the counter shaft and for disengaging thereset gear, and means operative vduring Wheel reset to cam the inwardlyextending projection of the reset gear pawl radially outwardly of theaxial slot in the counter shaft when the inward projection of the resetgear pawl is only partially received therein and for thereby preventingsimultaneous locking of the counter wheel and engagement of the resetgear.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Chase 23S-144Aken 23S-144 Lintz 235-144 Bliss et al. 235--144 Spaunburg 234-144 0 LEOSMILOW, Primary Examiner.

1. A COUNTER WHEEL ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A CAST HUB HAVING A CENTRALAXIALLY EXTENDING TUBULAR PORTION ADAPTED FOR RECEIVING A COUNTER RESETSHAT AND A RADIAL FLANGE PORTION SPACED AXIALLY INWARDLY OF BUT ADJACENTTO ONE AXIAL END OF THE TUBULAR PORTION, A SHEET METAL RIM SECURED TOTHE FLANGE PORTION HAVING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL INDICA BEARINGSURFACE, THE TUBULAR PORTION OF THE HUB HAVING REDUCED AXIAL ENDS, APAIR OF SLEEVES MOUNTED ON THE REDUCED AXIAL ENDS OF THE TUBULARPORTION, SAID SLEEVES BEING RETAINED ON THE HUB BY OUTWARDLY FLANGEDEDGES OEF THE TUBULAR PORTION, A RESET GEAR ROTATABLY MOUNTED AT SAIDONE AXIAL END OF THE TUBULAR PORTION, A DRIVE GEAR ROTATABLE MOUNTED ATTHE OTHER AXIAL END OF THE TUBULAR PORTION, SAID FLANGE PORTION HAVING APLURALITY OF ANGULARLY SPACED AXIALLY PROJECTING BOSSES AND SAID GEARSHAVING AXIALLY FACING ANNULAR BEARING SURFACES ENGAGEABLE BY THE BOSSESFOR SUPPORTING THE GEARS AGAINST INWARD AXIAL MOVEMENT, SAID SLEEVESHAVING RADIAL SHOULDERS FOR SUPPORTING THE GEARS AGAINST OUTWARD AXIALMOVEMENT, AND MEANS MOUNTED ON THE HUB OPERABLE BY THE RESET SHAFT FORSELECTIVELY LOCKING THE HUB WITH THE DRIVE AND RESET GEARS.